I hope everyone had a happy holiday. I am a little late with my KC Royals winter league update, but I am back home from vacation and will be writing more regularly. This winter league update is for the week before Christmas that ended on December 23rd.

Outfielder Nick Van Stratten in 2012 with Wilmington

Panama once again has a winter league and began play last week. Four Royals minor leaguers are participating and I had a chance to see three of them play during the 2012 season in Wilmington.

First baseman Matt Fields and utility man Michael Liberto are currently playing for Caballos de Cocle. Fields played in five games last week, four at first base. He went just 1-for-15 with two walks and nine strikeouts (but you have to remember, these four haven’t played since the beginning of September). Liberto also played in five games, two at second base and three at shortstop, while committing an error. He went just 1-for-14, but scored three runs and drove in two. He walked four times and struck out four times.

Outfielder Nick Van Stratten and pitcher Luis Melgar are playing for Herrera. Van Stratten also played in five games and went 6-for-21 (.286) with five runs scored and two RBIs. He doubled, walked three times, and struck out just once. Melgar, who pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2012, pitched in two games totaling three innings. In those three innings, he allowed two runs on three hits (including a homerun) and four walks while striking out just one.

Despite Melbourne‘s 8-20 record and sitting in last place in the Australian Baseball League, outfielder Carlo Testa continues to have himself a good winter ball season. In four games last week, he went 5-for-15 (.333) with a homerun and two RBIs. He also walked twice and struck out three times.

In Columbia, Mauricio Ramos continues to hit for Sincelejo. Last week, he played in two games at third base. He went 3-for-8 (.375) with a double and an RBI. It was a tough week for Luis Piterson for Monteria. In four games (all at shortstop), he went just 2-for-15 (.133). He did however walk twice, hit a triple, and drive in a run.

Outfielder Willy Taveras had a tough week for Obregon in the Mexican Pacific League. In five games last week, he went just 2-for-15 (.133) for his 14-15 team. He did double, walk twice, and drive in two runs. However, he also struck out three times.

» Continue reading “Royals Winter League Update”

This was my toughest decision among all of the KC Royals end of season awards. It was so hard that I could not chose the Minor League Pitcher of the Year and am leaving the decision up to YOU.

Pitching carried High-A Wilmington into the postseason in 2012 and I had a chance to see all three of the following candidates pitch at least once.

Yordano Ventura is the rail-thin fireballer, who was not only a Carolina League All-Star but also a Futures Game starter. He started the game at Kauffman Stadium for the World. In Wilmington, opponents hit just .229 against him and he struck out 98 in 76.1 innings. He struggled with walks and high pitch counts upon his promotion to Double-A, as he lasted more than 5.2 innings once in six starts there.

Sugar Ray Marimon (screen capped from the WBC game on MLB Network)

Sugar Ray Marimon joined Ventura as a Carolina League All-Star and surprised many with his performance in 2012. He was part of a piggyback combination for much of his time in Wilmington, but still struck out 60 in 68 innings. He also carried a 2.12 ERA to Double-A, where he also struggled. He walked 29 in 66.2 innings and opponents hit .264 against him. Marimon did shine in his one start for Columbia in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier (one run in five innings of work to earn the victory).

Jason Adam spent the entire season in Wilmington and dominated at the beginning and at the end (though he struggled to record victories due to a lack of run support). He was a workhorse, as his 158 innings attest. In his final start (a postseason win), Adam pitched one batter into the 8th inning. In the end, he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four.

There are two surprises to this list. Let’s start with lefty Justin Marks, who finished a successful 2012 season with a solid run in the Arizona Fall League. He was the lone Royal to be named to the AFL All-Prospect Team. His performance this past season also earned him a spot on the Royals 40-man roster.

Marks made 17 starts in Double-A and carried a 3.08 ERA. Despite missing some time due to injury, he was promoted to Triple-A to make one start prior to the postseason (which was disastrous). In the AFL, he was 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA in seven starts. He struck out 22 in 24.1 innings and walked just five. Left-handed hitters hit just .160 against him.

» Continue reading “RBA Minor League Pitcher(s) of the Year”

On Monday night, Brazil stunned Panama with a 1-0 victory (their second win over the host country) to claim the final spot in the World Baseball Classic that begins in March.

Over the course of the WBC Qualifier, KC Royals minor leaguers shined in the event.

In both of Brazil’s victories over Panama, centerfielder Paulo Orlando had big games. He was their leadoff hitter and went 2-for-4 in both games. In Game 1, he tripled and scored their first run in the 3rd inning. Orlando scored Brazil’s lone run on Monday night.

Sugar Ray Marimon (screen capped from the WBC game on MLB Network)

Columbia won their only game, which was their first game of the qualifier on Friday night. Sure they received some offense, as they won 8-1 over Nicaragua, but they also received great starting pitching. Getting the ball for the first time for the Columbians was Sugar Ray Marimon. He was a strike throwing machine. Over five innings, he allowed just one run on four hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. 41 of his 61 pitches were thrown for strikes.

Marimon‘s lone blip on the radar was a solo homerun he allowed in the 4th inning. That homerun went to Royals teammate Cheslor Cuthbert, who hit a good pitch just over the wall in left field. He was all smiles as he rounded the bases, especially at second base when he looked back at Marimon. Spring training conversation should be fun.

Even though Nicaragua did not win a game (0-2), Cuthbert impressed. He played pretty good defense at third base (he did make an error that cost them a run). He also hit well and batted 5th in both games. In the loss to Columbia, he went 2-for-4 with the homerun. In their 6-2 loss to Panama, Cuthbert went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Luis Piterson was the other Royal in the WBC. Like during the regular season, he was a bench player for Columbia. He did get into their 7-1 loss to Brazil on Saturday. Piterson went 0-for-1, as he struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 8th inning. He then went in to play right field.

So congrats to Brazil and Paulo Orlando in advancing to the WBC (and shocking the world).

This past week started out really well for the KC Royals with a home sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays. They then won the first game of their road trip in Minnesota. However they have now lost three in a row (they went 4-3 this past week). The Royals continue on the road in Toronto with four games, as they sit in fourth place in the American League Central at 35-42.

Omaha continues be one of the elite teams in the Pacific Coast League. The Storm Chasers went 6-1 this past week. They now have an 18 game lead in the American Northern Division at 53-31. They continue their homestand with two more games against Albuquerque.

Since the Texas League All-Star break, NW Arkansas is just 1-2 (they lost a series to Corpus Christi). The Naturals are tied for second place in the North Division with a 4-5 second half record.

Wilmington had a very successful week, going 5-2. Problem is, everyone else in the Northern Division of the Carolina League is 5-5 in their last ten games. That puts the Blue Rocks tied for last place at 5-6. They continue their road trip with two more in Frederick before heading to Lynchburg.

Kane County went 4-3 this past week and sit in second place in the Midwest League’s Western Division at 6-4 (three teams are tied). The Cougars continue their series tonight at Peoria.

Hitters of the Week

Majors: The MLB All-Stars were announced on Sunday and shortstop Alcides Escobar‘s name was not on it (despite having better numbers than the three who made the team). He earns the award this week, as he went 9-for-20 (.450) with three doubles, a homerun, and six runs scored. He also walked three times.

Honorable Mention: Could it be? Is Eric Hosmer FINALLY breaking out? He started to show signs over the last week, as he went 11-for-26 (.423) with two doubles, a homerun, four runs scored, and three RBIs. He also stole two bases.

Minors: Clint Robinson, Omaha. He didn’t let his demotion back to the minors faze him. Over the week, he went 10-for-29 (.345) with four doubles, six runs scored, and six RBIs.

Pitchers of the Week

Majors: Luis Mendoza was dominant in his start this past weekend in the Royals lone win in Minnesota. He allowed just one run on five hits over eight innings. He did not walk a batter while striking out five.

Minors: Pitching was key this past week for teams having winning records. That means that I had a difficult time choosing just one pitcher.

Will Smith had two dominant starts this past week for Omaha. He picked up two wins and lowered his ERA to 3.81. In those two starts, he allowed just one unearned run on eight hits and one walk over 13.2 innings. He struck out 16.

Sugar Ray Marimon made his first two starts for Double-A NW Arkansas. Combined, he allowed just one run on six hits over 11.2 innings. He struck out eight.

Yordano Ventura continues his dominance in the Carolina League with Wilmington. In two starts this past week, he allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks over 12.2 innings. Despite striking out 17, he did not pick up a decision.

The reliever of the week goes to Cody Fassold of Kane County. In two appearances (five innings), he did not allow a hit or a run. Fassold did walk three while striking out five.

There are always a lot of movement following minor league All-Star games. 2012 was no different for the KC Royals organization.

Alex McClure

First baseman/left fielder Brian Fletcher and shortstop Alex McClure were promoted to Double-A NW Arkansas and played on Wednesday for the Naturals. Both are replacements for injured Naturals (Christian Colon and Sharlon Schoop), so not sure how long they will be there. Fletcher had been Wilmington’s best hitter. McClure struggled mightily in his second season with the Blue Rocks.

One of the Blue Rocks Carolina League All-Star Game representatives, Sugar Ray Marimon, was also promoted to NW Arkansas. He was also deserving of the promotion because he was the Blue Rocks best pitcher. Marimon will be the first Columbian-born player to wear a Naturals jersey. To make room for him, Tim Sexton was released.

With all of those moves from Wilmington, Kane County lost three players to Wilmington (two of which were all-stars). One of those All-Stars was outfielder Lane Adams, who will join buddy Jason Adam in Wilmington. He was hitting .298 at the Midwest League All-Star break with 13 doubles, 40 runs scored, and 44 RBIs.

Matt Ridings, a reliever, is the other All-Star. He was 4-3 with a 2.43 ERA in 21 games. In 37 innings, he struck out 39.

Shortstop Orlando Calixte, he of the 20+ errors, will take McClure’s spot. He was hitting .241 with 13 doubles, ten homeruns, 31 runs scored, and 34 RBIs.

Replacing those guys in Kane County will be four from Short-Season Idaho Falls: shortstop Jack Lopez, outfielder Julio Aparicio, and right-handers Kyle Smith and Bryan Brickhouse.

 Congrats to all those receiving promotions over the last two days!

Wilmington Blue Rocks pitcher Sugar Ray Marimon earned the victory, as the Carolina League defeated the California League, 9-1 in their All-Star Game in Winston-Salem Tuesday night.

Marimon threw a scoreless 4th inning, as the host team broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 4th inning with three runs. Marimon threw just 13 pitches as he struck out two. Blue Rocks teammate Yordano Ventura followed him with a scoreless 5th inning. He walked one (Rico Noel), who then stole two bases but was left stranded.

Travis Shaw of Salem hit a two-run homerun in the 5th inning. He won the game’s “Top Star” award. The host team’s Brady Shoemaker went 2-for-4. Salem’s Jackie Bradley Jr (who led off and played all nine innings in centerfield) was promoted to Double-A Portland following the game.

Others of note in the California League: Billy Hamilton of Bakersfield (Cincinnati Reds) went 1-for-5 and of course stole two bases (he has 80 during the regular season), but also struck out three times. Hamilton won the game’s “Top Star” award for his league. Former Carolina Leaguer Miles Head (he played for Salem last season) went 1-for-4 (he is now with the Oakland A’s).

*Check out the AP photos HERE. To me, some look like mugshots.

The Midwest League All-Star Game was hosted by Kane County, but the visiting side (East) won 18-2. It was 13-0 after the second inning.

Cougars teammates Jorge Bonifacio and Lane Adams started for the West squad in the outfield and batted 3-4 in the lineup. They unfortunately went 0-for-5. Daniel Mateo, who was a late addition to the squad, came off the bench and went 0-for-2 and flied out to end the game.

Cougars reliever Matt Ridings struck out the only batter he faced on just three pitches to end the 5th inning.

The East hit three homeruns, all over the first two innings.

Cleveland Indians prospect, shortstop Francisco Lindor, led off for the East and went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI, and a stolen base. Five other East squad teammates had multi-hit games.

For the West, only Jamal Austin (of the Seattle Mariners) and Greg Hopkins (of the Milwaukee Brewers) had multi-hit games.

*The Blue Rocks begin the second half on the road in Carolina beginning Thursday night. The Cougars begin their second half in Clinton on Friday.

Omaha and Memphis finished up their series on Tuesday, as both teams scored two runs each in the 3rd and 5th inning, but Omaha got a solo homerun from Jason Bourgeois in the 8th inning for the 5-4 victory.

Bourgeois is finally starting to hit, as he went 3-for-4 to up his average to .202. Tony Abreu went 2-for-4 and Wil Myers hit his 7th homerun in Triple-A (20th overall) off Redbirds prospect Shelby Miller.

Mike Montgomery struggled with his command yet again (103 pitches, 53 strikes) and lasted just 4.2 innings. However, Sean O’Sullivan picked him up with 3.1 shutout innings of relief to pick up the win.

Lefty Ryan Verdugo was promoted to the big leagues to take the place of Will Smith (who was demoted to Omaha). Verdugo is expected to pitch out of the bullpen.

Wilmington beat Carolina 5-2 on the arm of Sugar Ray Marimon. Marimon allowed just three hits (all singles) over seven shutout innings. He walked two while striking out five. All three pitches were working and he had great command. Manager Vance Wilson said after the game that it was his best outing of the year.

Centerfielder Brett Eibner was taken out following the 5th inning. He was 2-for-3 in the game. He cramped up a bit.

After being named to the Midwest League All-Star, pitcher Nick Graffeo was promoted to Wilmington to replace the injured Santiago Garrido. Early diagnosis is that Garrido has a sports hernia and he was really sore today.

Lynchburg lost again in walk-off fashion to Myrtle Beach in ten innings. The Blue Rocks are now just a 1/2 game back.

Omaha lost the first game of their doubleheader against Iowa, 4-1. The Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 7th inning to add some insurance.

The Storm Chasers had just five hits, three coming from Yuniesky Betancourt, who is on a rehab assignment.

Omaha took the second game, 10-1. Mike Montgomery pitched a complete game, as he allowed just one run on two hits and three walks over his seven innings. He allowed a solo homerun to Brett Jackson in the 6th inning.

In the Storm Chasers’ five-run 2nd inning, Kurt Mertins hit a two-run homerun and Wil Myers hit a three-run bomb. Mertins had two hits and Myers finished with three hits. Derrick Robinson also had two hits.

A three-run bottom of the 3rd inning held up, as Midland beat NW Arkansas, 3-2. The Naturals had five hits, but went just 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

In the top of the 9th inning, Sharlon Schoop singled to lead off the inning, but Carlo Testa grounded into a double play. Nick Van Stratten followed with a single and moved up to second base on a wild pitch. However, Julio Rodriguez grounded out to end the game.

Elisaul Pimentel took the loss, as he allowed three runs on four hits and two walks over 6.1 innings. He struck out six. The two walks and two of the hits came in the 3rd inning.

A five-run bottom of the 8th inning after Wilmington had tied the game in the top half of the inning gave Carolina a 7-2 victory. That loss ended a disappointing road trip for the Blue Rocks, as they lost 5-of-7.

The Blue Rocks recorded their runs via solo homeruns from Brett Eibner and Whit Merrifield.

The five-run 8th inning negated the solid start from Sugar Ray Marimon. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out eight.

Kane County and Clinton were postponed due to rain. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday.

Happy Sunday from Wilmington!

I hope it is just as beautiful where you are as it is at Frawley Stadium.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks finish off their series today against Myrtle Beach. Last night, the Blue Rocks were no-hit for the first time in the club’s 20-year history. Nick Tepesch and Jimmy Reyes combined on the nine-inning no-no. Of course, I missed this piece of history by one day.

The two teams split the first two games, so the winner today will win the series. On the mound for Myrtle Beach, looking to keep the Blue Rocks hitless for the second straight day, is Kyle Hendricks. He is just 1-4, but carries a 2.98 ERA. He is also a Dartmouth alum.

Pitching for the Blue Rocks will be Sugar Ray Marimon. He is part of a piggy-back combination now with Santiago Garrido. Marimon is 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA.

The Pelicans are 21-19 and sit in third place in the Carolina League’s Southern Division. The Blue Rocks are tied for second place in the Northern Division at 18-23.

There are six Pelicans players on the Texas Rangers top 30 prospect list according to Baseball America. Starting pitcher Cody Buckel, who is a close friend of Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Trevor Bauer, is ranked number 6. Third baseman Christian Villanueva is ranked 8th (.250). Pitcher Roman Mendez, who started Friday night, is ranked 19th. Outfielder Jake Skole is 25th (.182), catcher Tomas Telis is ranked 25th (.259), and second baseman Odubel Herrera rounds out the rankings at 27th (.254).

Lineups:

Pelicans:  Teodoro Martinez (RF), Herrera (DH), Jared Hoying (LF), Brett Nicholas (1B), Villanueva (2B), Vinny DiFazio (C), Skole (CF), Yefry Castillo (3B), and Edwin Garcia (SS).

Blue Rocks:  Whit Merrifield (LF), Angel Franco (2B), Brian Fletcher (1B), Brett Eibner (CF), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Roman Hernandez (RF), Juan Graterol (DH), Travis Jones (C), and Alex McClure (SS).

» Continue reading “A Beautiful Day for Baseball”

Despite scoring four runs in the 2nd inning, Omaha couldn’t beat Sacramento, as they lost 9-4. Six errors caused Storm Chasers starter Mike Montgomery to constantly work through trouble, with him only lasting five innings (four unearned runs).

Omaha collected just seven hits, with Clint Robinson picking up two of them. They have lost the first three games of the series against the Rivercats, with the finale on Friday.

Chris Dwyer

NW Arkansas kicked off their home series against Springfield with a no-hitter. It all started with the rehabbing Greg Holland, who pitched one perfect inning of relief (he struck out three). Next was Chris Dwyer, who has struggled all season. He walked two over 6.2 hitless innings. He struck out five. Brendan Lafferty entered after Dwyer walked a batter with two outs in the 8th inning after throwing over 100 pitches. Lafferty got a fly out to end the inning. In the 9th inning, Kendal Volz finished off the Cardinals by throwing just eight pitches.

Oh by the way, the Naturals won 2-0. Christian Colon went 2-for-4 and Julio Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks avoided the sweep, as they won their final game against visiting Lynchburg, 7-2. Sugar Ray Marimon earned the victory, as he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out five. Santiago Garrido made his Blue Rocks debut with two scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.

The Blue Rocks had 13 hits and went 7-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Whit Merrifield went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Brian Fletcher also went 2-for-4. Alex McClure, who has been struggling mightily, went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Another late scoring effort propelled Kane County over Clinton, 5-3. Orlando Calixte provided the game winner in the 8th inning when he hit a grand slam. The Cougars collected just four hits, two coming from Calixte. Edul Escobar picked up the other two hits.

Robinson Yambati picked up his first win of the season, as he allowed an unearned run on four hits and a walk over three innings.